Shane Dean: I am more than just an actor. I have a very broad spectrum of of talents that I began utilizing during my child hood and have been working my career as an entertainment business man since child hood. Feel free to see my website shanedeanakashark.com

Shane Dean:I became involved with the Everything’s Eventual project after having a successful series of auditions with Director JP Scott and an excellent chemistry with Lead Actor Michael Flores.

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Shane Dean: I think people are attracted to the story because everything that Mr. King writes is golden and always creates wonderful, thought provoking, and interesting tales.

SKSM: You worked with J.P. Scott on this film, how was that?

Shane Dean: Working with JP was an excellent experience. He is indeed an actor’s director. A real pro and a pleasure to work with.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when they made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Shane Dean:Probably my most fun or interesting moment in the film was when I had the opportunity to beat up Dinky Earshaw (Lead actor Flores) on camera as I choreographed the fight with Michael upon our meeting during the audition process … Which ultimately helped us land our roles and develop the chemistry we had during filming.

SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?

Shane Dean:I haven’t really had much contact with the cast and crew lately.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Shane Dean: I am currently in the marketing phase of my latest feature films DUSTWUN and Coyotaje. One of wich is already sold to a major distributor and the other is in the Berlin Film Festival. I am also currently in pre production for several projects with UNIVERSAL and a few other choice projects.

SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?

Shane Dean: Of course I am a fan of Mr. King! I have read several of his works and seen most if not all his films.

SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Shane Dean: I think people would be very surprised to know that. Despite often playing the very aggressive character in cinema I am a very compassionate, sensitive, and gentle person. Unless there is a need to defend others especially women and children who have been abused. As you can see in this award winning project SlaveS which you can view on my website as listed above in the FRONT PAGE section of the site. And to learn more of our campaign go to slavesmovie.com

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Shane Dean: Lastly I want to thank Oscar for this interview opportunity. And a HUGE thanks for fans out there who appreciate my work. I am continuously humbled by my blessings at times as I work feverishly hard at all that I do. And in conclusion please keep your eyes open for what may be the most important project in my life as I have invested my entire heart and soul into the project DUSTWUN. So please see our imdb page at DUSTWUN

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Eric Davis: I’m an actor based in Montreal. I’ve been working in the business for 20 odd years or so. I started out in theatre and eventually moved on to voice over, TV and film. These days I also do a lot of video game motion capture and voice.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actor?

Eric Davis: I had a chance to audition for the National Theatre School after high school. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to pursue my visual art background or jump off the deep end and try acting. I’d done one high school play and that’s it. I wasn’t even in drama. The auditions were being held in a rehearsal hall at the National Arts Center in Ottawa where they had a production of Phantom of the Opera playing on the main stage. I was so nervous I had to take a walk to try and get rid of my jitters. I stumbled upon the stage door and beyond, the main stage, filled with the set an props from Phantom. I spent the next half hour in awe, exploring that stage and the set pieces. I completely missed my audition but standing on that grand stage and looking out at the empty seats reaffirmed my desire to give the acting thing a real concerted effort. Thankfully, I didn’t miss my next audition.

Eric Davis: Stephen Baxter and I had worked together previously on a couple of projects and we got on very well. He contacted me directly about being involved in Rest Stop and I couldn’t say no. Both the chance to work with him again and be involved in bringing a Stephen King short to the screen was ample enticement!

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Eric Davis: I think it’s a pretty universal human dilemma to ponder our own duality – the pull of light and dark, right and wrong, good and evil, within us. What’s so great about Mr. King’s short story is how efficiently it presents that question. “What would you do in this situation?” It’s simple but profound and, I believe, instantly relatable.

SKSM: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you?

Eric Davis: I didn’t audition. Stephen Baxter contacted me directly and asked if I’d like to take on the role. It wasn’t written for me. Obviously we have Mr. King to thank for the character and story.

SKSM: You worked with Stephen Baxter on this film, how was that?

Eric Davis: It was fantastic! Working with Stephen is a joy and there’s an ease to the language of director/actor there that is special. I’d work with him again in a heartbeat. We were also blessed with a great cast and crew which can make or break a production.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when they made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Eric Davis: There is a moment in the film when my character, John Dykstra, flees the titular rest stop in his car. It was 4 something in the AM and the light of dawn was imminent so we were scrambling to get our last shots done. With Wyler Diome-Montour, our cinematographer, wedged in the passenger seat with the camera, I peeled out of the parking lot. In a way, even though it’s only a couple of seconds in the final film, it was a cathartic moment for me both as an actor and as the character, running away, pedal to the metal, not just from the rest stop and what transpires there but from himself.

SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?

Eric Davis: I’m still in contact with Stephen Baxter and Amy Halloran fairly regularly as well as a few of the other actors. Montreal has a fairly small film community so it’s not uncommon to run into each other at auditions or on different projects.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Eric Davis: I just finished working on a big World War II movie directed by Roland Emmerich called Midway, due in November 2019. I’m also currently doing performance capture for a video game franchise that I’m not allowed to mention due to non disclosure agreements! I’m excited about it though. There are some fantastic and talented people involved.

SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?

Eric Davis: Absolutely. I grew up reading Stephen King as a teenager and while I don’t read him as much these days his works are intrinsically linked to some hugely formative moments in my life. My favourite would have to be his Dark Tower series but I also love a lot of his short stories. It’s great that his stuff is being adapted so much these days. It speaks to how popular and prolific he is.

SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Eric Davis: I think it would probably be how much of an introvert I am personally. There’s a stigma to being an actor that people tend to assume that that person is gregarious and outgoing. That’s part of the fun, though, of inhabiting a character different from myself and living in a different skin, so to speak.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Eric Davis: I hope people enjoy the film, of course, but I also hope it inspires thoughts and discussions on the nature of being human – that duality we are confronted with daily. And how a split second choice can determine whether we rise to do good or fall to evil.

Jan Nelson: I saw an open audition notice and sent my headshot and reel to Vanessa. I then got asked to come and audition live.

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Jan Nelson: I think Vanessa did a great job of creating suspense rather than gore. So many films today go for the sensationalism rather than building the story. Rainy Season is similar to a story by Shirley Jackson, called The Lottery, which I used to teach to high school students.

SKSM: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you?

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Marco Scapillato: I am an actor/singer out of buffalo, NY. Took a serious step back into acting 2yrs ago, and havent looked back.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actor?

Marco Scapillato: I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was 8 years old, no joke. I performed at an impromtu improv challenge at my local park/rec center. I had to pretend I was an old man, so I grabbed something to act as a cain, and channelled my grandpa. Everyone laughed. It worked. I got a reaction.

Marco Scapillato: I became involved with In The Deathroom by knowing Jon actually. He cast me in a different film he was working on that wasn’t ready to start, so he called and asked if I’d play the journalist in Deathroom, and I said yes, the fact that it was a Stephen King story made it easy.

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Marco Scapillato:The story attracts people because it’s a scenerio that we could all find ourselves in and not see it coming. And how it ends attracted me. Against all odds, how does this guy end up?

SKSM: You worked with Jon Ferrari on this film, how was that?

Marco Scapillato:Working with Jon was a great experience, no drama. I was able to let go and sink my teeth. I needed to have that and this was me getting on a set and acclamating myself.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when they made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Marco Scapillato:I lost it and broke into laughter when we were shooting. I had to get it out of my system. I ruined takes, but it was ok.

SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?

Marco Scapillato: I am still in contact with Jon. We became tight. I love the guy and I run into other cast mates here and there.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Marco Scapillato: Lately I have been busy with acting gigs, thankfully. I just shot three projects back to back. One in rochester, and one here. I also just got back from shooting a project in Atlanta. These are paid gigs with crews.

SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?

Marco Scapillato: I’m one of three in the world that has not read Stephen King. Im not a big reader but I fantasize about reading his library. I always wonder where to start. I often ask, but I havent begun.

SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Marco Scapillato: People would be surprised to know that I am a realtor.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Marco Scapillato:Thanks for listening. Go check out our little movie, In the Deathroom. And follow me on Instagram @marcoscapillato

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Alexa Wolf:My name is Alexa Wolf and I am a New York City based Cinematographer. I have been living & working in the film industry in NYC since 2013, and I have a degree in Film & Electronic Arts from Bard College. I’m originally from Northern California, and when not on film sets I spend my time backpacking and riding horses.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become a cinematographer?

Alexa Wolf: I’ve known I wanted to work in the film industry since 5th grade, when I obsessively watched the special features on the Lord of the Rings DVD’s and decided that making movies was what I wanted to do. Without much outside guidance for my filmmaking passion though, it took until part way through college for me to understand the differences between departments in the industry and to narrow in on cinematography as my personal passion & goal.

SKSM: How do you communicate with a director to design a visual strategy for a film?

Alexa Wolf:Every director has their own unique working style, but I tend to start by asking what films or photography may have been on their mind while writing the script, and then adding to that list the references that came to my mind upon reading their script. From there we spend time looking at particular visual techniques and create a unique combination of these that can impart to our future audience the emotional undertones of the characters and themes present in the script.

SKSM: You worked with Kasey Rae on this film, what do you think the relationship between a director and a DP should be?

Alexa Wolf: Every director needs slightly different things from their DP, but I think the best collaborations (and the most enjoyable for me) come in an open creative dialogue where the director imparts their desires for tone and emotion and we together decide what visual techniques are best suited to support their story. I prefer to work closely in preproduction, so that once on set there is little need for creative rethinking, except for when the location or actors present some new & interesting creative alternative that neither the director or DP foresaw in preproduction. Kasey Rae was wonderful to work with – she had a clear creative vision but was open to suggestions and new techniques.

SKSM: You worked in a Dollar Baby based on a Stephen King short story. It was your most challenging film?

Alexa Wolf:All That You Love Will Be Carried Away certainly was not the most challenging film I’ve shot, but it had its difficulties, mostly due to our tight budget and broken up shooting schedule.

SKSM: When you’re going to shoot, what are your favorite lenses? formats?

Alexa Wolf: As for shooting formats – I own an Arri Alexa Mini and shoot most of my projects on that camera, usually with the ProRes 4444 codec and 3.2K resolution. I love the camera’s dynamic range and highlight roll off as well as color rendition, and am pretty happy to shoot any project on it.

As for lenses, I find they are one of my most important creative choices per project, as each set’s particular character plays such a vital role in the overall look of a film. For All That You Love Will Be Carried Away we shot on rehoused Cooke S2’s which are some of my favorite old spherical lenses. Unfortunately we had to use two different sets because of our broken up shooting schedule, and the look between the two sets was somewhat different.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Alexa Wolf:For the scene where our protagonist is running through the snowy field, I had to do a lot of sprinting backwards while holding the camera in front of him. This turned into a bit of a comedy of errors, since running backwards in a foot and a half of snow with an expensive camera in hand definitely leads to a few close calls!

SKSM: Who are some of your influences (favorite dps/films)?

Alexa Wolf: I’ve always been a big Roger Deakins fan, as well as Emmanuel Lubezki, Conrad Hall, Christopher Doyle, & many more! Some of my favorite films are In The Mood For Love, The Lobster, Children of Men, Beasts of the Southern Wild, A Serious Man, & anything by Taika Waititi or Wes Anderson.

SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?

Alexa Wolf: I haven’t read a lot of Stephen King, but I do enjoy a lot of his short stories.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Alexa Wolf: I’m mostly shooting a mix of short films, branded content, short documentaries, music videos, and commercials. I shot my first feature length narrative this past spring and have my next coming up later this winter.

SKSM: What one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Alexa Wolf:My first time working on a large movie set in NYC wasn’t in the camera or lighting departments, but actually as a horse wrangler on the set of Winter’s Tale.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Sam Vary: My name is Sam Vary, and I currently work in New York City as a programmer for an ad-tech company. I studied film and Russian language at the University of Vermont before moving to Brooklyn, where I’ve lived for the past 7 years now.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become a filmmaker?

Sam Vary: I think the first time I realized I wanted to be a filmmaker was when I was watching PBS late at night for some reason, and a short film came on about a barber working in occupied France during World War II. A German officer sits down and asks for a shave, and the barber begins to lather him up. As he goes about shaving the officer, various townspeople catch on to what is happening, and give the barber signals, furtive looks etc. mostly encouraging him to cut the officer’s throat. There are a ton of interesting shots that build tension in the film (razor held to the neck, the body language of the townspeople, the editing of the barber making eye contact with certain people in the crowd while holding the razor, etc.) and I was fascinated with the way that the short film generated so much suspense. Here’s a link to the film if you’re interested: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3qf2z

SKSM: When did you make Night surf? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it?

Sam Vary: I made Night Surf when I was a senior in high school. We filmed the movie half in Portland, Maine, and half in a place called Small Point for the beach scenes, with a cast that included several friends from school as well as my younger brother, Zach, who plays Needles in the movie. I bought a new Macbook at the time (2007) which was a big deal and allowed me to use Final Cut for the first time, and I also bought a Sony Handycam, so we spent maybe $1500 on the whole production (including gas money to drive around Portland and Small Point for filming). It probably took me two weeks to get all the footage I needed, and then editing took two more weeks after that.

SKSM: How come you picked Night surf to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?

Sam Vary:I had been wanting to do a Dollar Baby for a while, but I had to pick something that didn’t required only the bare minimum of makeup or special effects, and also something with locations in the story that fit what I had access to. So a story that mostly took place on a beach in Maine was perfect. I am definitely a fan of that specific story as well, with all its connections to The Stand and everything, so it was a very natural choice to pick this story as a project. I also thought that I would be able to have a lot of fun filming all the characters in various states of death and decay at the end of the movie, which turned out to be the strongest part of the film (I thought).

SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wild guess or did you know it before you sent him the check?

Sam Vary:I think I just came across this in my general readings and research of Stephen King, at some point a very long time ago (high school). I have read most of his novels and have been an avid fan of his since I was about 8 or 9, so I’m sure I learned about Dollar Babies fairly early on. I just waited until the end of high school to try and make one.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Sam Vary:Since we filmed the story in black and white, we relied on Hershey’s chocolate syrup for the generous amounts of fake blood that we decided to use, so I had the actors lying down in puddles of chocolate syrup (especially my brother Zach, playing Needles, who was lying on a bathroom floor with his face directly in a large, spreading pool of it). That was pretty funny. Everybody really enjoyed playing dead, from what I remember. We also managed to get some good cameos from other people who wanted to appear in the movie, such as an older family friend named Bruce Osterling, who played Alvin Sackheim, the guy that the characters tie up and burn at the stake as a sacrifice to the disease, Captain Trips. The whole project was very memorable, actually.

SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can’t see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible?

Sam Vary: That is a good question. I lost track of my DVD copies of the film a long time ago, but I am tracking down a digital copy at the moment, so I can provide you with a link as soon as I locate that. I would love it if you wanted to host the film on your site so that more people could watch it and leave their reviews in the comments, something along those lines.

SKSM: What “good or bad” reviews have you received on your film?

Sam Vary: I have not really received many reviews one way or the other, except for friends who have watched it and enjoyed it. They particularly enjoy the music used in the movie, although I would probably get into some hot water with the copyrights on those songs.

SKSM: Do you plan to screen the movie at a particular festival?

Sam Vary: No, but we are going to have a screening in Brooklyn with friends as soon as I get that digital copy back.

SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?

Sam Vary:Yes, I’ve always been a huge Stephen King fan. I really got into him when I read Cujo and Cycle of the Werewolf, and by ‘got into’ I mean, those books traumatized me, and I craved more like them. So at this point I have read most of his novels, although I am not a big Dark Tower fan. I read the first book but have not felt much inclined to read the others. Black House is one of my favorite books of all time though, and that obviously has Dark Tower connections. Never read The Talisman though. I guess if I had to give you my top 3 all time Stephen King books or adaptations, it might go:

The Stand (novel)

Pet Sematary (novel)

The Stand (mini-series)

I’m also a huge fan of the Mr. Mercedes TV series, which just came out with its second season. Brendan Gleeson and Harry Treadaway are awesome in that series, and the Hodges trilogy (especially the adaptation) feels very fresh and exciting in terms of King material.

SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)?

Sam Vary: No, although I did meet Stephen once at an event and lecture that he was giving at the Mark Twain house in Hartford, Connecticut, a few years ago. I did not mention my movie, unfortunately, and I doubt he’s seen it. We talked about Under the Dome, which was his new show on CBS at that time, and the fact that we were both from Maine. I also gave him a hug.

SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King’s stories? If you could pick -at least- one story to shoot, which one would it be and why?

Sam Vary:I definitely would like to make more, it’s just hard to find time with a busy job in New York and other hobbies. I’ve been focusing more on my screenwriting and short story writing over the years, both during and post-college, and amateur filmmaking is extremely difficult to produce with good quality. I would rather work on screenplays for Stephen King adaptations, so maybe there are some producers who just need a script for their upcoming Dollar Baby. If I could pick another short story to shoot, I think Strawberry Spring would be a good one, or I’ve always wanted to see what The Jaunt would look like on film. Definitely one of those two, but they’d be tricky to produce.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Sam Vary:I am editing a fantasy / horror novel called The Crimson Harvester and trying to send that out to publishers eventually, as well as a bunch of different screenplay ideas. I have been developing a mini-series with a friend in London actually based on a group of American soldiers who were kept prisoner in a concentration camp during World War II, so that may prove fruitful as well at some point soon. Lastly, I’m in the process of putting together a short story collection. I have a few of the stories posted online. Right now I’m just offering the audiobooks for sale, but I have an author page on amazon that you can check out if you’re interested. (www.amazon.com/author/samvary)

SKSM: What one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Sam Vary: That I studied Russian in college and speak it fluently.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Sam Vary: I will make sure that Night Surf is made available online very soon, and if you enjoy Stephen King books and movies, you should check out some of my audiobooks, and keep an eye out for my books (hopefully) in the near future!

Stephen Baxter: I actually didn’t fully realize it until my last year of high school. I was on track to being an engineer, or at least studying engineering. I’d always been fascinated and obsessed with stories and storytelling, and I loved movies – I’d thought about being an actor or writer – but I always thought it was unrealistic, that I couldn’t do it. But some time around when I was 17, I had some more exposure to the film industry and decided “I’m just gonna go for it.”

SKSM: When did you make Rest Stop? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it?

Stephen Baxter: We filmed Rest Stop in July of 2018, but Amy and I spent several months before that working and reworking the script to make it great – she’s a fantastic writer and allowing her the time to perfect the script made the film infinitely better.

SKSM: How come you picked Rest stop to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?

Stephen Baxter: I was really attracted to the idea that there is a dark side to people, that exists within the human heart. I like reading psychology like Carl Jung – he calls this idea the “shadow”. In order to become strong, and capable, you have to understand your own shadow. To me this story was just bursting with themes like this, as well as questions about violence, right and wrong etc. It was a very rich story, that also happened to be very light in terms of special effects or complex locations, so it was a no-brainer!

SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wild guess or did you know it before you sent him the check?

Stephen Baxter:To be clear I didn’t send him a check, I went to the bank and asked them for the cleanest, most perfect 1$ bill they had. I rejected about four before finding the best one!

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Stephen Baxter: When the film was almost done we realized we were missing one thing – we made the movie in the province of Quebec, where all the road signs are in French, but our story is set in the United States. So Amy and I took a camera across the border, not realizing what a huge customs problem this meant!

Five minutes after reaching the border we were inside, detained, trying hard to explain why exactly we had to go film a road sign in the United States!

SKSM: How does it feel that all the King fans out there can’t see your movie? Do you think that will change in the future? Maybe a internet/dvd release would be possible?

Stephen Baxter: It was part of the deal from the very beginning, so I can’t complain. I’ll certainly say I wish we could show it to all the fans, hopefully some day we can, but I understand the contract being the way it is and intend to respect it.

SKSM: What “good or bad” reviews have you received on your film?

Stephen Baxter: So far the film has only really been seen by friends, family, and the audience at our private premiere, but so far the reception as been universally positive. I’m extremely proud of the great work the cast and crew did on this film, it seems to be paying off!

SKSM: Do you plan to screen the movie at a particular festival?

Stephen Baxter:At the time of this interview, we’ve been officially selected as part of the Culver City Film Festival in Los Angeles, as well as the 80 Screams International Film Festival in Ohio. We’re beyond excited at the positive feedback we’ve gotten, and that people want to program our film – we hope to show it as widely as possible!

SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?

Stephen Baxter: Definitely. I’m a huge fan of the Shawshank Redemption (by the most famous Dollar Baby director there is!) and the Green Mile. I’m also a big fan of Stand By Me. And of course obviously, It, The Shining, Creepshow, Misery – it might sound funny but I think my very favourites of his work are the non-horror stories! Although obviously the horror is excellent as well.

SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)?

Stephen Baxter:We didn’t – I know the DVD has arrived at his office, according to Fedex, but we haven’t heard from him. I hope he’s seen it, and liked it, but for a man as busy as him we understand why he wouldn’t have time to reach out to all the Dollar Baby filmmakers.

SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King’s stories? If you could pick -at least- one story to shoot, which one would it be and why?

Stephen Baxter: I don’t have any plans to, but I’m certainly open to it!

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Stephen Baxter: A wise man, Elliott Grove, once said the answer to that question is always “I have numerous projects in various stages of development.” Which is pretty accurate!
I can say at the time of writing this interview I’m developing and researching some feature film scripts, as well as working on a documentary TV series profiling the world’s great musical instrument makers. A bit of a change of pace from Stephen King shorts.

SKSM: What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Stephen Baxter: I do full-contact mixed martial arts training, and it’s helped me massively in my film career – getting kicked in the head puts working late hours into perspective. Could be worse!

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Stephen Baxter: It was such a pleasure bringing Stephen King’s work to life cinematically – it’s a hell of a club to join. Be sure to come check us out if we’re ever screening in your area, we’d love to show you the film!

SKSM: Would you like to add anything else?

Stephen Baxter: Thank you for taking the time to interview me! And thanks of course to Stephen King for the opportunity!

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Jon Ferrari: I grew up in Orange County NY and ended up in the Buffalo, NY area to study audio engineering, followed by filmmaking. Currently I work as a video editor and cameraman for a location production company and love to make narrative films whenever I can.

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become a filmmaker?

Jon Ferrari: I was in a bad place in 2011. I had moved back to Buffalo from OC to be with my daughter. I had no friends, no other family nearby, and I was stuck working dead-end jobs to barely get by. I was listening to all of the podcasts by Kevin Smith I could get my hands on while I worked and became fascinated with his journey making the film RED STATE. For the first time I realized that being able to write and direct films is a very real, tangible thing. You didn’t have to be Steven Spielberg anymore. You could tell a compelling story with a few hundred dollars of equipment as long as you knew how to do it right. At that moment I decided to give it a try and I’ve been in love ever since.

SKSM: When did you make In the deathroom? Can you tell me a little about the production? How much did it cost? How long did it take to film it?

Jon Ferrari: We shot the film in the Spring of 2017 in East Amherst, NY. The production was stressful at first, with there being so much planning involved and such a small crew, but everyone was so professional and dedicated to making the film great that it all just flowed together. The atmosphere was always very positive and there were always laughs between takes. The actual production cost roughly $500 cash and most of it was to pay for effects & music. I pulled every favor I could to make it for as cheap as possible. The whole shoot took two days, with about a 2-hour reshoot, as well as an impromptu trip to Times Square for the final sequence.

SKSM: How come you picked In the deathroom to develop into a movie? What is it in the story that you like so much?

Jon Ferrari: The story always intrigued me because it felt so raw and real, with no supernatural element whatsoever. I have an affection for minimalist settings in stories: here’s a bunch of people confined to a space and here a conflict, GO! It makes for a great adaptation. The story evokes a very specific feeling of dread and claustrophobia and I wanted to take what I saw in my mind while I read the story and bring it to the screen as unfiltered as possible.

SKSM: How did you find out that King sold the movie rights to some of his stories for just $1? Was it just a wild guess or did you know it before you sent him the check?

Jon Ferrari: I had heard about the Dollar Baby program years ago when I fell in love with the Dark Tower series and started reading everything I could get my hands on just to see if there were any references to Roland & Mid-World. I read IN THE DEATHROOM from my Everything’s Eventual paperback and knew that one day I’d make it if I were lucky enough to see it on the list.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when you made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Jon Ferrari: There were many laughs and fun moments throughout the shoot. Too many too count. My favorite moment was when our FX guy John Renna blasted Lidia Couzo in the face with a blood cannon. That was a dream come true.

SKSM: What “good or bad” reviews have you received on your film?

Jon Ferrari: Feedback has been very positive overall. I’m really honored to have so many people like it.

SKSM: Are you a Stephen King fan? If so, which are your favorite works and adaptations?

Jon Ferrari: Of course I have to go back to The Dark Tower. The depth of the mythology and this endless multiverse, the characters and the seamless blending of virtually every storytelling genre I can imagine. The fact it ties all of King’s books to the same world never ceases to amaze me.

SKSM: Did you have any personal contact with King during the making of the movie? Has he seen it (and if so, what did he think about it)?

Jon Ferrari: I haven’t been in contact but I do hope he likes if if he has seen it. We all want to do his work proper justice when we send that dollar bill in.

SKSM: Do you have any plans for making more movies based on Stephen King’s stories? If you could pick -at least- one story to shoot, which one would it be and why?

Jon Ferrari: I make it a point never to repeat myself, but if I were able to take on one of his stories again I’d want to make an HBO TV series on par with Game of Thrones but for the Dark Tower universe.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Jon Ferrari: Currently I am continuing to think of and write story ideas and have been seeking out an investor for a feature film passion project I wrote a few years back. It’s a neo-noir psychological thriller about a haunting relationship between a man and his mother.

SKSM: What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Jon Ferrari: I’m an accomplished guitar player and can be seen on my YouTube channel shredding it up from time to time.

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Jon Ferrari:I’d just like to thank anyone with an interest in my work. It means the world to me that I can create something people appreciate. Without the audience our films are meaningless.

Lisa Hinds: My husband James and I have two grown daughters, Ashleigh and Courtney. My full time job is in the energy business and my hobbies include photography, archaeology digs, sailing, travel. At the top of the list is Acting/Extra work.

Lisa Hinds: I was searching for Stephen King Dollar Babies projects and found it on Kickstarter.

SKSM: You played a small role in the film. Could you talk about it?

Lisa Hinds: I originally had a speaking roll Michelle Lieffertz worked with me to teach me how to speak with a British accent. I was in costume and ready to go but we ran out of time. Through the night Denise had finished her contracted time so James asked me to sit in and William B Davis read lines to me. James asked me what he should do as we did not have time for my part. I said whatever you want to do! My life just got made with William reading lines. So I was the cat lady on the stairs looking down with a scowl at JP Winslow/Sherlock. My roll was pivotal.

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Lisa Hinds: I would have to say it’s Sherlock Holmes/Watson story written by Stephen King. A bit unusual for Mr King.

SKSM: You worked with James Douglas on this film, how was that?

Lisa Hinds: Absolutely wonderful being on the set he is so kind and considerate of everyone around him. I was in awe of how he could be so calm with all that’s going on in the background. He is a talented writer, director and Actor.

SKSM: Can you tell us about the filming steps? Funny things that happened so far (Bloopers, etc).

Lisa Hinds: The Filming steps never seem to go according to schedule on any of the sets I’ve been on. Having said that I was wearing a long skirt which was too small so Michelle Lieffertz had to tape me in. I go to the changing room after filming and I had a big opening in the back the tape had come loose. Whoops! Fortunately my shirt was tucked in.

SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?

She played in Corey Mayne‘s Dollar Baby Willa as a Train Passenger: Background Performer.

SKSM: Could you start with telling me a little bit about yourself? Who are you and what do you do?

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell: Hi, My name is Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell. I’m an actress, and i do voice overs as well. Currently living in Toronto Ontario. Canada I’m married, mother of six, grandmother of six with number 7 grandchild on the way. 🙂

SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actress?

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell: I have always wanted to be an actress and my youngest one who also acts gave me the acting bug. Thanks Brae. I tried out for a high school play but was so terrified I froze. I wasn’t sure if I would or could put myself thru that again. But thanks to my youngest I decided to go for it (starting in my senior years). It’s never too late to follow a dream. I love it and I won’t turn back.

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell: I had heard about it from an amazing woman Kerri -Lee Finkle , who was part of the creative team working on this movie. A talented , supportive woman who I admire. A mentor and huge supporter of all the deaf talent who were part of this incredible production.

SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell: This is a Stephen King film and one is automatically drawn to whatever he does. The talented people working on Willa brought so much to this production to make it and went above and beyond.

SKSM: Did you have to audition for the part or was it written directly for you?

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell: No I didn’t have to audition and I was really honoured to be part of the Willa family.
I was a passenger on the train and it was full of surprises, twists and turns but most of all it was fun in between being terrified.

SKSM: You worked with Corey Mayne on this film, how was that?

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell: This was the first time I worked with Corey Mayne and I would jump at any opportunity to work with him again or with any of this talented cast and crew again for that matter. He is a truly talented and dedicated person with a flair for this.

SKSM: Was there any funny or special moment when they made the movie that you would like to tell me about?

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell:There were a few special moments but I can’t give them away. Shhhh I will say, it was cold and we had fun in between takes, drawing pictures on the frosted train windows only to find when we looked back new frost had formed erasing our pictures.

SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell: I do keep in touch with a few of them on a fairly regular basis. It’s so nice to make new friends and keep in touch. We were like a family on set. An amazing group of people.

SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell: I have done a few films that are out and some that are not out yet but hopefully soon. Some have gone to Film Festivals and won awards. Docudramas – Horror Film’s, music videos. It has been quite the ride. I am continuing to do BG , Voice Overs as well as taking classes to learn as much as I can and to challenge myself.

SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell:Absolutely am I fan of Stephen King’s work. I was also part of his latest movie “It” (not yet out). His work is incredible and so unpredictable. He is amazing. Everything he does is intriguing. So yes, yes I am a fan.

SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell: Hmmm , that I am interested in Iridology and being a part of this interview .

SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell: Thank you so much Oscar, for taking the time to talk to me. Hope you all go see the film and love it as much as we all did, and being a part of this movie Willa.

SKSM: Do you like to add anything else?

Myrna Wolfe-Maxwell: The group of talent involved in the making of Willa were outstanding. I want to thank them all and thank you Oscar, and all the Stephen King fans out there for their interest and reading this You will all love the movie. Enjoy.